Thank you to Mark I for this message

Feeding of the 5000

This miracle can be found in the bible in Matthew 14, in Mark 6 and Luke 9 and it is also in John 6. In fact this is the only miracle recorded in all 4 Gospels so it must be pretty important. You could even say it is two miracles here; one that Jesus was able to feed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish, and the other miracle was that the crowd was satisfied.

Food is a remarkable thing, when you think about it. When we eat food, our body breaks down what we put into it, and turns those little munched bits into things that can be used for strength and energy. We don’t really have to think about it. We just eat something and our body does the rest of the work. In some ways, our relationship with God is similar. We give to Him whatever we might have, big or small and He can put it to work to do amazing things!

There are 5 main points I have picked out:

1. God cares for our needs and provides for us!

In today’s story Jesus was teaching, and there was a big group of people that had come to listen to what He had to say.  The feeding of the five thousand shows vividly how eager many people at the time were to be with Jesus. Mark 6: 31 tells us that there were so many people coming and going the disciples had not had a chance to eat, so Jesus took them away in a boat to a place of solitude to get some rest. The people, having seen Jesus and his disciples withdraw followed him and ran ahead so arrived before Jesus did. Jesus had three options; retreat to another place, disperse the crowd or give them what they came for and the latter is what he did – he cared for their needs spiritually and physically.

2. He had compassion and encourages us to show compassion to others

We are told that Jesus, “had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd”. Jesus chose to look outwards toward the crowd, enabling Him to perceive their needs and respond with compassion. Like a shepherd with his sheep, so Jesus tended to the people. He gave them words of life and also he fulfilled their physical need with loaves and fish; a spiritual and physical feast which left them full. Today people still have the same needs and we are encouraged by this example of Jesus to also look outwards to perceive the needs of those around us, and respond.

3. God can use small things to do great things and He can use us to do big things as well.

Jesus told the disciples to feed everyone and all they could find was one boy who happened to have a lunch with him, and that only consisted of five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples brought this child to Jesus, and he handed over his lunch. Jesus was about to do something amazing! He prayed over it, split it up and had the disciples start passing the food around. Somehow, that one little lunch didn’t run out. In fact, it fed everyone in the crowd, with food left over!

We should never think what we can do for Jesus is too small or unimportant. One little boy had a simple lunch, but Jesus used it to feed many, many people. The boy gave God what He had and we should offer to God what we have. We also can do small things that God can use to do big things. We need to trust Him to provide for us and to use whatever we give Him.  We might not think that we have a lot of talent or ability or potential. But God sure does. He will take care of our needs, and He will use us in ways we can’t even imagine. We bring ourselves, and He makes a new and wonderful creation out of our sinful lives.

4. God can do the impossible

There were more than 5,000 people present to see Jesus, that was just the men so it could have been with women and children maybe 10,000-15,000 people and to give everyone even a tiny bite of food would cost more than any of the disciples had and would earn for months.  Jesus asked the disciples to feed everyone and they thought it would be impossible, but Jesus knew nothing was impossible for God. The disciples were focussed on the problem of how to feed so many, rather than focussing on God. When we are confronted with a seemingly unsolvable situation, do we remember Luke 1:37 that ‘For with God nothing is impossible’. The disciples seemed to have forgotten all the miracles Jesus had performed before. When we face crisis in our lives do we recall how God helped us in the past? Jesus took charge, looked up to the heavens and gave thanks for the food. Jesus takes the time to pray and God, being the one who created the earth and everything in it would have not an issue making dinner for a bunch of people. It was no big deal to God. Although it was a big deal!

Ultimately, anything that we do only happens through God’s grace and work. The important message for us all here is not just that Jesus multiplied loaves and fishes but the excitement of God using us, His people. Jesus took what little the disciples found, and did something amazing. He can do the same with our lives, when we are willing to bring Him whatever we have and He works miracles.

5. God’s love can never be exhausted.

They all ate and were satisfied and the disciples picked up 12 basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 12 baskets could be quite symbolic in itself – you could say it is a basket for each unbelieving disciple, who were also hungry at the start. But it certainly tells us of God’s super abundance of love and care for us. He is not just a generous provider but has unlimited resources. The more God gives, the more God has – His love is infinite. And the fact that everyone was satisfied was a second miracle.

The numbers didn’t matter it is what God did – he provided for well over 5000 people and gave them all what they needed. And He will provide for us throughout our lives if we trust in Him.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for using whatever we have for your will. Please help us to trust in You and let our lives be used for your glory. We know nothing is impossible for you and you will always provide and make great things out of small things.  Thank you for miracles.  Thank you for your love.  We love you, God!  In Jesus name, Amen.


Category: Family Service , Sermons , The Bridge

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